Transforming Lives & Communities

Houston Housing Authority

Community Highlights - Awards Issue

Vol. 7 May 2015

INSIDE THE AWARDS ISSUE:

Resident of the Year

Community Partner Award

2015 Carmen V Orta Scholars

Board of Commissioners:

Lance Gilliam, ChairLaRence Snowden, Vice ChairBobbie FiguresTina Arias PetermanShandra E. Wygal Nicola Fuentes ToubiaPhillis WilsonTory Gunsolley, President & CEO

2640 Fountain View Dr.Suite 400Houston, Texas 77057Phone: 713.260.0500713.260.0547 TTYwww.housingforhouston.com

The mission of the Houston Housing Authority is to improve lives by

providing quality, affordable housing options and promoting education and

economic self-sufficiency.

Resident of the Year- Monica Johnson

Have Questions?

Customer Service Hotline713.260.0377

We value your feedback. Comments and article ideas ore welcomed for the Community Highlights newsletter. Please include your name and phone number with your submission. Email submissions to njones@housingforhouston.com

Above: Ms. Young is honored at NAHRO.

Monica Johnson, a Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) participant, was nominated and won a Texas National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Resident of the Year Award. Mrs. Johnson is one of our current participants in the FSS program. She is scheduled to graduate in May 2016. Like most FSS participants, Mrs. Johnson had to overcoming multiple barriers to success. She made significant changes in her life because she wanted more for herself and her children. She started over and became a paralegal, working with a company affiliated with Enron. As a result of the Enron scandal, her company had massive layoffs and she found herself homeless. Fortunately, during this time, her waiting list number came up and she was able to get a HCVP voucher.

Mrs. Johnson saw the voucher as a blessing because it came at a time when her family needed it. However, she also struggled with the stereotypes that she held of Section 8 families. Johnson said, “I had a vision of Section 8 – people get on it and people live on it forever. No way to get up and out.” On one of her visits to our office she overheard someone talking about the FSS program; and regained her hope. Mrs. Johnson had two goals: to become a Registered Nurse, and to become a homeowner. In the summer of 2013, she accomplished her first goal. She is now working on her credit and building her savings. The FSS department expects great things from Mrs. Johnson and feels that she truly deserves the Resident of the Year award. Congratulations Monica!!

Monica Jonson with Texas NAHRO Resident of the Year Award

Houston Housing Authority

Sherry Young, of the Credit Coalition, was honored with the Texas National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Community Partner Award. Ms. Young has worked continuously with low income participants of the Houston Housing Authority since 2003. Ms. Young has held numerous “Fundamentals of Good Credit” sessions to assist HHA participants with improving their credit. Upon completion of the six week session, participants are awarded with a Certificate of Completion which satisfies the financial and homebuyer education requirement of numerous Homebuyer Assistance Programs, Individual Development Account (IDA) programs, and other special mortgage programs for up to one year from date of completion. Ms. Young’s dedication, knowledge and skills, as well as her endless hours dedicated to helping low income participants meet their goals in the FSS Program exemplify why she was honored as Community Partner.

Community Partner Award- Sherry Young

The Carmen V. Orta Scholarship was created in honor of Carmen V. Orta, who championed low-income families and emphasized education as a pathway to economic self-sufficiency. Mrs. Orta served on the Houston Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners and was a founding member of Houston Housing Resource. Every year students are able to apply for scholarships that range from $1,000 to $3,000. This year there were eight students that received scholarships. The 2015 recipeints are listed below:

You and your child(ren) ages 15 and above are invited to come attend a fun, innovating workshop to learn more about Jobs and

College Readiness.

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2015Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Where: Ripley House Neighborhood Center, Room 315 4410 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX

Who: Adults and Children Ages 15 & up

RSVP by contacting Monica Jaynes at mjaynes@housingforhouston.com

Houston Housing AuthorityResident Self Sufficiency Program

Upcoming Events

The Inaugural College-Prep Fair is FREE and is designed to offer middle and high school students educational resources to

promote the importance of college education, career choices, and academics. The college-prep fair will educate teens on registration/

application processes, SAT/ACT preparation, community involvement, scholarships, financial aid, and much more. In

addition, the youth will have an opportunity to visit with local college advisors on site about their career fields of interest. This

event will be open to both parents/guardians and children.

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2015Time: 10:00am-12:30pm

Where: Baker-Ripley Neighborhood CenterChase Opportunity Building, Bldg. C6500 Rookin St, Houston, TX 77074

RSVP by June 1, 2015 by contacting Rashonda Smith at 713.260.0306.

Carmen V. Orta Scholarship Award

Briehnna BracketSajini WoodleyAndrea SaulterJames Jefferson

Darrel JamesDarla JamesAlbert WhiteBrittany Spriggs-(Brittany is also the recipient of a Texas NAHRO scholarship)

Jobs & College Readiness WorkshopSherry Young receiving the NAHRO Community Partner Award

Inaugural College-Prep FairHosted by: Youthful Events